Whether you are a patient or visitor at Sunrise Hospital, we want your experience with us to be as pleasant as possible. We have provided helpful information to help you during your stay or while visiting a patient in the hospital.

Reasons for Procedure

A heart-lung transplant is done if you have:

An irreversible, life-threatening lung disease that affects the heart (but are in otherwise good health)—An example of this is severe
pulmonary hypertension
(an increase in blood pressure in the lung's blood vessels).

Had other treatments that have not been successful, such as, surgery and medication

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have a heart-lung transplant, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

There is a shortage of donors, so you may be on a transplant list for some time. You may need to carry a cell phone with you at all times. This is to allow the transplant team to reach you if organs become available.

Your doctor will monitor your health to make sure that you are ready for the transplant. Before the surgery, your doctor will likely do the following:

Talk to your doctor about your medications. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to one week before the procedure.

Do not take over-the-counter medication without checking with your doctor.

Arrange for a ride to and from the hospital.

Arrange for help at home after the surgery.

Eat a light meal the night before the surgery. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.

Anesthesia

General anesthesia
will be used. It will block any pain and keep you asleep through the surgery. It is given through an IV in your hand or arm.

Description of the Procedure

After you are asleep, an incision will be made in the skin and breastbone. Your chest will be opened and you will be connected to a heart-lung machine. This machine takes over the functions of the heart and lungs during the surgery. The lungs and heart will be removed. The donor lungs will be attached. Then, the new heart will be sewn into place. Next, the blood vessels will be connected. The blood will start to flow and warm the heart.

The new heart may begin beating on its own, or the doctor may give you an electrical shock to get the heart started. You will be checked to make sure that there are no leaks and that the heart and lungs are working fine. After this, the heart-lung machine will be disconnected. Next, temporary tubes may be placed in the chest cavity to drain any blood that has collected. The breastbone will be wired together, and the chest will be closed.

Immediately After Procedure

You will be closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU) with the help of the following devices:

Heart monitor

Pacing wires used to help control heart rate

Tubes connected to a machine that helps drain excess blood and air from the chest cavity

Breathing tube, until you can breathe on your own

How Long Will It Take?

Several hours

How Much Will It Hurt?

You will have pain during the recovery process. You will be given pain medication.

Average Hospital Stay

This surgery is done in a hospital setting. The usual length of stay is 2 weeks. Your doctor may choose to keep you longer if you shows signs of rejecting the new organs or have other problems.

Postoperative Care

At the Hospital

While you are recovering at the hospital, you will need to:

Breathe deeply and cough 10-20 times every hour to help keep your lungs working well.

Take immunosuppressive drugs—You will likely need to take these for the rest of your life. These drugs reduce the chance that your body will reject the new heart.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

What is a lung transplant? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/lungtxp.
Updated May 1, 2011. Accessed December 1, 2014.